Author Topic: Rapido and N scale  (Read 15603 times)

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BCR751

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #45 on: January 14, 2014, 12:13:29 PM »
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Pre-ordering may be a "necessary evil" but it's still bulls$$t as far as I'm concerned.  I've had stuff on pre-order for over two years and have yet to not only see it but also have yet to hear anything about it from the manufacturer.  If manufacturers are going to go the pre-order route, I think it's incumbent on them to at least keep the consumer in the loop about the product's progress. 
 
Doug

Puddington

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #46 on: January 14, 2014, 01:12:35 PM »
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Pre-ordering may be a "necessary evil" but it's still bulls$$t as far as I'm concerned.  I've had stuff on pre-order for over two years and have yet to not only see it but also have yet to hear anything about it from the manufacturer.  If manufacturers are going to go the pre-order route, I think it's incumbent on them to at least keep the consumer in the loop about the product's progress. 
 
Doug

I'm sorry you feel that way Doug; I agree that manufacturer's need to communicate with their clients and some do better than others - at Rapido I think (and have since way before I worked here) we do a good job with our web site, our Facebook page and Jason's very detailed and often down right funny newsletters. we can always do better and I'm always happy to hear new ideas. We try to clearly cover the "good, the bad and the ugly" regardless of what the fall out might be....

I don't like pre-ordering as a modeller but as a business person, I understand and accept it.
Model railroading isn't saving my life, but it's providing me moments of joy not normally associated with my current situation..... Train are good!

Dave Schneider

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #47 on: January 14, 2014, 02:27:50 PM »
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Maybe this has been discussed elsewhere in various threads, but is Rapido committed to only producing Canadian/Canadien prototypes? Don't get me wrong, I love Canadians/Canadiens as much as the next guy (married one in fact). Your new GMD model and recent vans are very nice, but I can't see buying them just to "help out". I did that with some Rapido passenger cars a couple of years ago even though I didn't need them when I heard you guys were facing hard times. I understand the passion that comes with producing a product line that is true to your heritage and interests, but would like to respectfully suggest that those of us who model non-Canadian/Canadien lines would like an opportunity to purchase a broader range of products. I know that some of your recent cars could have been interchanged into the US system, but I just was curious about how you see things developing.

Best wishes, Dave
If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

sirenwerks

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #48 on: January 14, 2014, 02:29:51 PM »
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Pre-ordering may be a "necessary evil" but it's still bulls$$t as far as I'm concerned.  I've had stuff on pre-order for over two years and have yet to not only see it but also have yet to hear anything about it from the manufacturer.  If manufacturers are going to go the pre-order route, I think it's incumbent on them to at least keep the consumer in the loop about the product's progress. 

Sounds like the manufacturers should hold your money in an interest-bearing escrow account.  Interest rates aren't that high but that doesn't mean you can't make a $100 grow in 24 months.  If manufacturers are using pre-order to gauge willingness of the market to purchase, why can't those pre-orders be made via a credit card number?  The customer keeps his money until the appropriate time (purchase) and the manufacturer gets the promise.  The longer said manufacturer takes, the more of those credit card numbers grow bad.  Of course, if the manufacturer is using pre-orders to fund a product, that changes the dynamics and makes the customer an investor, and investors are generally not risk averse and shouldn't be weenies about giving money and not seeing it again.  Of course, no one invests in a company that doesn't communicate with its investors.  Point is, in this day and age when manufacturers are skipping the middle man and going to direct sales, those companies should be upfront about why pre-order is necessary. 

If you think about it though, consumers are suckers these days.  They spend bookoo to buy a tshirt emblazoned with a manufacturer's logo to wear to the mall, which in turn advertises the brand and sells more tshirts for that company?  Wait a minute...  shouldn't the company be paying you to do their advertising?

Personally, I would love it if my favorite eLHS would accept pre-orders.  The again, I know where they live...
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

lock4244

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #49 on: January 14, 2014, 02:44:23 PM »
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Pre-ordering may be a "necessary evil" but it's still bulls$$t as far as I'm concerned.  I've had stuff on pre-order for over two years and have yet to not only see it but also have yet to hear anything about it from the manufacturer.  If manufacturers are going to go the pre-order route, I think it's incumbent on them to at least keep the consumer in the loop about the product's progress. 
 
Doug

I would have to agree with Pud on this one... Rapido does a commendable job communicating with us, and with a rather candid amount of detail at that. Yes, some Mfg's are totally absent when it comes to communicating status of products, and it's pretty annoying wondering when / if the model will ever appear, but if the Mfg'd asks for nothing more up front but a vague commitment to buy at some point, that's not really asking too much, is it?

chicken45

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #50 on: January 14, 2014, 03:13:52 PM »
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Aside from a K4 ( :trollface:) and other Pennsy Steam, I would enjoy a  Budd stainless steel Senator/Congressional consist.  Maybe that's too specialized, though.
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Ed Kapucinski
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He asks excitedly "Did you say Ménage à Trois?"
No, I said "Ed's Law."

Puddington

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #51 on: January 14, 2014, 03:24:10 PM »
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Remember; "pre order" doesn't mean "pre pay"; at least not for Rapido. We do not ask for a deposit (except when we produced the HO Canadian; one exception) so we are not taking anyone's money. If a retailer does, that is their decision but we don't require a deposit. What we do ask is that you order ahead so we make what we need and a very few extra for warranty. If you cancel the order before the product is made, that's ok, and frankly, a few people have cancelled due to personal circumstance when product is made. Asking for deposits is another topic in my mind.
Model railroading isn't saving my life, but it's providing me moments of joy not normally associated with my current situation..... Train are good!

Puddington

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #52 on: January 14, 2014, 03:26:11 PM »
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Maybe this has been discussed elsewhere in various threads, but is Rapido committed to only producing Canadian/Canadien prototypes? Don't get me wrong, I love Canadians/Canadiens as much as the next guy (married one in fact). Your new GMD model and recent vans are very nice, but I can't see buying them just to "help out". I did that with some Rapido passenger cars a couple of years ago even though I didn't need them when I heard you guys were facing hard times. I understand the passion that comes with producing a product line that is true to your heritage and interests, but would like to respectfully suggest that those of us who model non-Canadian/Canadien lines would like an opportunity to purchase a broader range of products. I know that some of your recent cars could have been interchanged into the US system, but I just was curious about how you see things developing.

Best wishes, Dave

Valid points Dave; in HO we just delivered the GATX wooden meat reefer - a US prototype. We're the manufacturer of the HO Osgood Bradley coaches and smokers too. We're looking at a wide range of projects and not all of them are Canadian prototypes, although clearly that is our primary focus.
Model railroading isn't saving my life, but it's providing me moments of joy not normally associated with my current situation..... Train are good!

Dave Schneider

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #53 on: January 14, 2014, 03:32:30 PM »
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Valid points Dave; in HO we just delivered the GATX wooden meat reefer - a US prototype. We're the manufacturer of the HO Osgood Bradley coaches and smokers too. We're looking at a wide range of projects and not all of them are Canadian prototypes, although clearly that is our primary focus.

Thanks for the reply. Sounds great.

Best wishes, Dave
If you lend someone $20, and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

up1950s

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #54 on: January 14, 2014, 04:50:24 PM »
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Some other of my terrific ideas are .

TOFC trailers with Canadian trucking company's . You could milk that for ever and cover many eras  . A Puddy specialty .

If you have any unique TOFC flats , those would be wanted .

Canadian made MOW crew cars could be utilized to give N a better mix .

Canadian specific tank cars of many eras .


Richie Dost

sirenwerks

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #55 on: January 14, 2014, 05:11:17 PM »
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Valid points Dave; in HO we just delivered the GATX wooden meat reefer - a US prototype. We're the manufacturer of the HO Osgood Bradley coaches and smokers too. We're looking at a wide range of projects and not all of them are Canadian prototypes, although clearly that is our primary focus.

Make that a URTX steel meat reefer (hinged and plug door variations) and you will have lots of my money and my undying gratitude.
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

jdcolombo

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #56 on: January 14, 2014, 05:51:58 PM »
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While I'm not wild about the pre-order world we live in, I well understand why manufacturers do it.  More importantly, it is now the accepted business model, and this model contributes to the availability of stuff that otherwise simply would not be produced because the downside risk would be too high without the pre-orders essentially guaranteeing a certain level of sales.

The GMD-1 isn't in my future (even though it's a fascinating prototype), but a Canadian steamer . . . well, if I can find a reason to have a UP Big Boy show up on the Nickel Plate Road in 1957, I'm sure there would be an ample supply of rationales for a CN 4-8-4 (2-10-2; 2-10-4; Hudson; etc.) to show up there as well . . .   

John C.

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #57 on: January 14, 2014, 06:36:36 PM »
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Pre-ordering may be a "necessary evil" but it's still bulls$$t as far as I'm concerned.  I've had stuff on pre-order for over two years and have yet to not only see it but also have yet to hear anything about it from the manufacturer.  If manufacturers are going to go the pre-order route, I think it's incumbent on them to at least keep the consumer in the loop about the product's progress. 
 
Doug

I don't mind preorders but I am tired of companies not delivering on their delivery time lines.  Some items being pushed out 12-18 months.  Rapido is a leader with communication others could learn from.  How many sales are lost because people sit on funds waiting for a product to arrive, only to miss out on it when it does not.
Brian

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mecgp7

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #58 on: January 14, 2014, 06:48:34 PM »
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I don't pre-order for all the reasons previously stated. I would, however, pre-pay in full to a reputable company IF it was worth my while. If I am going to cough up the cash before the model is made, I think it should be at a savings to me. That way I save and the company has funds. Plus the money is out of my hands. Pre-orders that require a credit card drive me nuts. The very last one I ever did took so long that I had swapped CC companies twice.

BCR751

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Re: Rapido and N scale
« Reply #59 on: January 14, 2014, 09:30:21 PM »
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If you don't pre-order, that is entirely your choice.  But you have to do it eyes open, recognizing that there's a good chance you won't get the model or, if you really want it, you'll pay more than retail on eBay.  Our steam generator models regularly go for 4x retail on eBay, and before our new run of CP cabooses they went for 2x retail.  Recently a $110 Park Car we made for VIA last year went for over $400 on eBay.

-Jason

Don't get me started about the hoarders. Collector is just a euphemism for hoarder in this hobby.  They only "collect" long enough to jack the price up.  These people are bad enough but the ones that really pee me off are the ones that pay those ridiculous prices.    If they wouldn't pay those prices, the hoarders would be SOL and rightfully so, in my opinion. 

Doug